Rising temperatures are fueling concerns about the melting snow and ice across the area as emergency officials warn people to stay off iced-over bodies of water, even if they think it looks solid enough to walk on.

Emergency workers stress that it's never safe to assume that a body of water is frozen solid in central Maryland, especially since salt runoff from the roads typically prevents a hard freeze from forming, despite what it may look like on the surface.

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"The temperatures are expected to start to warm up, so we're particularly concerned about getting the message out about staying off the ice. That ice is going to soften up and become unstable. Even if it looks like it's still firm, it can move on you or go out from under you," said Baltimore County police and fire spokeswoman Elise Armacost.

Someone fell through ice at Golden Ring Park on Tuesday afternoon. Armacost said the victim made it out before firefighters arrived. She said it was an outcome that was extremely fortunate.

"Water that's sub-freezing, you're only going to make it about 15 minutes," Armacost said.

Another case in Montgomery County proved how quickly hypothermia can turn fatal. Last month, a 10-year-old boy died after falling through ice on a sediment pond in Gaithersburg.

"You've got to remember there are bodies of water all around us. There are big bodies of water in Baltimore County -- the reservoirs, the creeks, especially down the east side -- but there are also sediment and drainage ponds. Any body of water, natural or man-made, can be a hazard," Armacost said.

People aren't the only ones at risk in icy conditions. Rescue workers pulled a dog out of frigid waters recently, too. Armacost said the key is that firefighters are the ones who navigated the ice. She said all too often pet owners run after a dog in trouble and wind up in over their heads.

"We have seen this kind of rescue in the past where someone's pet runs into the ice, and your natural instinct is to go after your pet. We tell people to not do that. They're putting themselves in a very dangerous position," Armacost said.

Officials added that the snow adds another layer of danger because it makes it difficult to tell where the ground meets the water. Armacost said it's another reason to keep your distance.